Ella Langley leads the nominations for the 60th annual Country Music Association Awards with nine nods, continuing a breakout year highlighted by her crossover smash hit single, “Choosin’ Texas.” The singer/songwriter’s nine nominations puts her one short of Alan Jackson’s record 10 nominations in a single CMA Awards year, which he set in 2002.
Langley is nominated for the night’s top honor, ‘Entertainer of the Year,’ alongside Luke Combs, Cody Johnson, Chris Stapleton and reigning winner Lainey Wilson. Langley is also in the running for Female Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year for Dandelion, while both “Be Her” and “Choosin’ Texas” earned Single of the Year nominations.
Miranda Lambert is just behind Langley with six nominations, with much of her recognition connected to her work with her Langley, her protégé (Lambert co-wrote “Choosin’ Texas” and co-produced Dandelion.). Lambert also earned her 19th CMA nomination for Female Vocalist of the Year, surpassing Reba McEntire for the most nominations in the category. Kacey Musgraves and Ben West each received five nominations, while Cody Johnson, Chris Stapleton and Stephen Wilson Jr. collected four apiece.
12-time CMA Award winner Lainey Wilson will return to host, marking her third consecutive year in the role and second consecutive year as solo host. Wilson said in a statement:”I couldn’t be more excited to be hosting the CMA Awards again this year, especially with it being the 60th anniversary. I’ve had so much fun hosting the last two years, and this one’s going to be extra special. Can’t wait to see y’all in November!”
Langley’s strong showing follows an equally dominant run at the 2026 Academy of Country Music Awards, where she won all seven categories in which she was nominated. Earlier this year, “Choosin’ Texas” also made Langley the only woman to simultaneously top the Billboard Hot 100, Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts.
The CMA awards are determined by more than 7,000 CMA members representing artists, songwriters, musicians, industry executives and other music professionals. The 60th annual CMA Awards will be held Nov. 18 at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, airing live on ABC and Disney+, followed by streaming on Hulu the next day.
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